Many business telephone systems support the interconnection of specialized auxiliary computer systems (such as, but not limited to, voice mail processing systems) to assist in the processing of telephone calls. The efficiency with which these auxiliary systems process calls would be enhanced if information about the calls (e.g., the telephone number dialed by the caller) were automatically sent to the auxiliary system prior to, concurrent with or following the presentation of the calls to the auxiliary system.
Auxiliary systems, such as voice mail systems, are also known as "applications processors".
Applications processors, such as voice mail systems, often act like one or more extensions in a private branch exchange (PBX). Calls terminate on the applications processor for several reasons, including (but not limited to) the following:
Calls are placed directly to the applications processor. PA1 Calls are forwarded from an internal extension to the applications processor. PA1 Calls are forwarded from an internal extension to another extension and then to the applications processor. PA1 Calls are forwarded from a trunk group to the applications processor.
A call that is forwarded from an extension or trunk group to the applications processor may have been forwarded because of a busy condition, ring-no-answer condition or other condition (such as "do not disturb").
The applications processor may handle a call more efficiently if it knows why the call came to it. A mechanism which enables this information to be automatically passed to the applications processor greatly enhances the value of the applications processor and is the subject of the present invention.